Friction shock-absorbing mechanism



Sept 30 1924.

J. F. O'CONNOR FRICTION SHOCK ABSORBING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 1l, 192' Patented Sept.. 30, 1924.

JHN F.`OC01\T1\TOR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSGNMENTS, TO 'W'. H. MINER, INC., A CGRCE'ORATION OF DELAWARE.

FRIC'IION SHOCK-ABSORBING MEGHANKSM.

" Application ledll'ovember 11, 1922. Serial No. 600,229.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN F. OCONNOR, acitizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the countyof Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Friction Shock- Absorbing Mechanisms, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

One object of the invention is to provide a friction shoclr` absorbing mechanism especially adapted for railway draft riggingsY wherein is obtained high capacity and a smooth graduated action.`

A specic object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of the character indicated in the .preceding paragraph and wherein the friction system is so formed as to produce the spreading action by a combinaion of radially and laterally directed wedge aces.

In the drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure lis a horizontal longitudinal sectional view of a portion of a railway draft rigging showing my improvements in connection therewith, the section through the friction elements proper, however, being taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 2 and corresponding to two intersecting planes at 120 to each other. 'Figure 2 is a front end elevation of the shock absorbing mechanism proper. Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the shock absorbing mechanism proper corresponding to the line 3 3 of Figure 1. And Figure 4t is a detail perspective of one of the secondary wedge elements.

In said drawing, 10-10 denote channel draft sills of a car underframe, tothe inner faces lof whichvare.` secured front stop lugs v 11 and rear stop lugs 12. A portion of a drawbar is indicated at 13, with which is operatively associated a hooded cast Vyoke 14, the latter having disposed therewithin the shock absorbing mechanism proper, hereinafter described, and a front follower 15.y The yoke and parts therewithin are supported in operative position by a de tachable saddle plate .16.

1 The improved shock absorbing mechanism proper, as shown, comprises a combined friction shell and spring cage casting A; a spring resistance B; a pressure-transmitting wedge block C; three friction shoes D-D arranged in a circular series; three secondary wedge elements EWE; and al retainer bolt F.

The casting A, as shown, is of generally7 cylindrical form having a friction shell proper 17 at its outer end, vthe latter being provided with interior cylindrical friction surfaces 18 arranged symmetrically with respect to the axis of the shell. Rearwardly of the shell 17 proper, the casting A formed with a spring cage 19 and at its rear end with an integral vertical wall 20., the latter being suitably laterally extended and reinforced to adapt it to function as the rear follower of the mechanism.

The shoes D, three in number, are of like construction, each having an outer true cylindrical friction surface21 cooperable with a shell friction surface 18. Each shoe D is further provided with longitudinally extending wedge-faced edges 22u22. The wedge faces 22 of two adjacent edges of two shoes D converge radially outwardly of the shell with an included angle .therebetween of approximately The said wedge faces: 22 are disposed intermediate the ends of each shoe, the shoes having outer and inner inwardly extending shoulders 23 and 2a at the ends of said wedge faces 22, between which are centered the respective secondary wedge elements E.

The wedge elements E are three in number and each is of triangular cross section as shown in Figure 8, Each member E has a pair of wedge faces 25-25 converging radially outwardly of the shell, each wedge face 25 cooperating with a shoe-wedge face 22 in such manner as to tend to separate the shoes D circumferentially. Near its outer end, each secondary wedge E has a blunt angle wedge face 26, the latter converging inwardly of the shell, as clearly shown in Figure 1. The blunt angle wedge faces 26 are arranged to cooperate with correspond ing blunt angle wedge faces 27 formed on the pressure-transmitting wedge block C.

The spring B is preferably in the form of two coils, an outer heavy coil 28 which bears upon the inner ends of the shoes D and an inner lighter coil`29 which bears, at

its front end, on the inwardly projecting portions of the secondary `wedges E, as shown in Figure l.

The retainer bolt F is anchored at its rear end within a hollow boss formed integral with the casting A and at its forward end within a suitable recess provided in the wedge block C. l The operation of the device, assuming a compression stroke under buff, is as follows. As the front follower l5 is moved inwardly the wedge block C is forced to move in unison therewith, thus setting up a spreading action radially upon the secondary wedges E. On account of the manner in `which the latter are seated within the shoes D, it is evident that the shoes D will be forced to travel longitudinally with the secondary wedges E and as the shoes move inwardly of the tapered shell, a heavy wedging action. in a circumferential direction is produced upon the shoes D on account of the arrangement which is best illustrated in Figure 3. Due to the taper of the shell,I it is evident that the shoes D must movelaterally slightly'toward each other, thus further increasing the pressure between the shoes and the shell. Such inward for differential movement of the shoes D is automatically compensated for by slippage of the secondary wedges E upon the pressure-transmitting wedge block C so that Ithe secondary wedges E yand shoes D will advance at a slightly faster rate than the wedge block C during `a compression stroke. Upon removal of the actuating force, the wedge block CV will readily disengage itself from the secondary wedges E on account of the blunt angle which the cooperating faces 26 and 27 make with respect to the axis of the gear. This immediately allows the secondary wedges E and shoesD to collapse and to be thereafter projected outwardly by the spring until all the parts as sume their normal full release position.

l have herein shown and described what l now consider the preferred manner of carrying out the invention but the same is merely illustrative and l contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

l claim:

l. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a friction shell having friction surfaces on the interior y thereof; of a springresistance; friction shoes cooperable with the shell and having radially outwardly converged, longitudinallyv eX tending wedge faces; a pressure-transmitu ting wedge blocl; secondary wedges coopvarable with said `wedge block and provided alsov with radially outwardly converging wedge faces cooperable with said wedge `facesof the shoes; and means for preventing v relative .movement of said secondary wedges and 'shoes 'longitudinally of the mechanism.

ting wedge block; and secondary wedges cooperable with said wedge block and provided also with radially outwardly converged wedge faces cooperable with said wedge faces of the shoes, said secondary wedges being seated in recesses provided on the shoes so arranged that the secondary wedges .and shoes travel'in unison lengthwise of the shell. f

3. ln a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a friction shell having cylindric friction surfaces on theinterior thereof converged .inwardly of` the shell; of a'spring resistance; a plurality of friction shoes arranged in' a `circular series cooperable with the shell 4and having radially outwardly convergedlongitudinally eX- tending wedge faces); a pressure-transmitting block having Vblunt angle wedge faces on the inner end thereof; and a plurality of second-ary .wedges carried by said lshoes and movable bodily therewith longitudinally of the mechanism, said wedges cooperating with said wedge V.block and provided also i the shoes.

4. ln a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a friction shell having curved friction surface-s on the interiorV thereof; of a spring resistance; friction shoes cooperable with the shell, each shoe having wedge faces extending along the edges thereof, the wedge faces of the adjacent edges of two shoes conv-erging radially outwardly of the shell; a pressure-transmitting wedge block; a secondary wedge interposed between the wedge block and each pair of adjacent edge wedge faces of twoshoes, each secondary wedge having wedge facesl cooper-able with the edge Ywedge faces of the shoes; and abutment means ony said shoes coacting with said secondary wedges'to pre-` vent movement of the latter longitudinally of said shoes during a compression stroke.

In a friction shock absorbing mechanlsm, the combination with aA shell lhaving' cylindric interior friction l'surfaces converg'ed'inwardly of the shell; ofa spring re` sistance; a circularly arranged series of friction shoes cooperable'with the shell, said shoes having longitudinally extending y`edge wedge faces and front and rearlshoulders at the ends of said wedge faces von the inner end thereof; and a plurality of secondary wedges, corresponding in number to` the shoes, each secondary kwedge having afblunt angle -wedge face cooperable withY a "wedge 5 shoes between said front and rear shoulders Witnesses:

face of the Wedge block and radially outhave hereunto subscribed my name this 10th Wardly converged Wedge faces cooperahle day of October 1922.

with a pair of adjacent edge Wedge faces of tWo shoes, said block being seated on the JOHN F. OCONNOR.

thereof. A UNA C. GRIGSBY,

In Witness that I claim the foregoing I' ANN BAKER. 

